The Rebellion of the Empress
by The Princess Assassin
Summary: In an alternate universe, Lelouch Vi Britannia never existed. Instead there was Lelouch Jiang of the Chinese Federation, the daughter of the Chinese Emperor's first wife and the supposed empress of China. [Complete Summary Inside]
1. Prologue

A/N: Please give this story a chance... We all know prologues are usually boring!

Disclaimer: Code Geass don't belong to me. Obviously because either Lelouch would be a girl or he would have never died in the first place... TT_TT

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Summary: In an alternate universe, Lelouch Vi Britannia never existed. Instead there was Lelouch of the Chinese Federation, the daughter of the Chinese Emperor's first wife and the supposed empress of China. She wants nothing more than to let her dearest half-sister Tianzi achieve her dream of going outside the palace walls. She escapes after a failed assassination, hiding her true identity and accidentally saves Xingke Li, the well-known genius in battle and with brains that could match her own. The duo forms a pact and starts a rebellion that could very well decide the fate of not only the Chinese Federation but the whole world.

 **Prologue: The Wheels of Fate turning slowly but surely…**

The Emperor's first wife, Alicia, was rather fond of her homeland and didn't hesitate in naming her firstborn with a Britannian name. She was from the branch family of the Asplund Line and was sent to China for business. She soon makes a name for herself and garners the attention of the then-crown prince Jiang Jian. She becomes smitten with the man and agrees to marry him after a year of courting. Their Marriage was highly opposed by the High Enchuns but Emperor Jian was firm in his decision. Just as her daughter Lelouch turned six, Alicia is killed protecting her only daughter from terrorists.

The Emperor was then advised by the High Enchuns to take another wife, this time their recommended one. Enter Xi Mei, a woman from one of the wealthiest families in the nation. Emperor Jian and Lady Mei easily fell in love with each other and decided to marry, Lelouch being eight at the time.

The Crown Princess Lelouch was rather smart for her age. She amazed tutors with her brain and quickly became known as a prodigy. But she never liked the attention, and was disgusted with the fakeness that she could see in the court. Wanting a reprieve, she one day escapes from the Forbidden City and creates Lulu Lamperouge, a young child that was helping her family using her intellect and conned foreigners into playing chess ( a game which her mother taught her) with high stakes, letting her buy an apartment that was seldom used but useful for her disguise.

She was ten, when after many failed attempts; Empress Mei finally bore a child. Learning that said child was female brought disappointment to the Empress' eyes but the Emperor loved the baby, naming her Jiang Lihua, the second-in-line to the throne proudly.

It actually came as a surprise when her father suddenly remembered that Lelouch existed and came holding a baby. She was prepared to hate her half-sister just like how she loathe her step-mother but the minute she saw those innocent crimson eyes, she felt rather protective of the child and soon loved baby Lihua with all her heart. Due to becoming busy being an older sister,the persona Lulu Lamperouge slowly became forgotten.

Tianzi, the name Lihua became known as, loved her elder sister the most. She was the one who always stood by her side. The Emperor was just too busy to deal with two children, although he tried hard to make up for it by showering them with gifts. And her mother, the Empress, was always angry at her. She remembered the first time her mother shouted angrily at her was because she accidentally spilled tea on her mother's dress in an important party. Just as she was about to cry, Elder Sister Lelouch came to the rescue and comforted her. It was then when her love for her sister truly cemented. She didn't recall the words that sister Lelouch said to her mother after comforting her, just that everyone suddenly laughed. She recalled the Empress looking rather embarrassed and left the room but not before throwing a poisonous glare at her direction to which caused her to hide behind the skirt of her sister who coaxed her into playing with other nobles' children.

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Lelouch was sixteen and Tianzi, six when everything fell apart and that's where our story takes place.

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A/N: Comments and suggestions are welcomed. Please tell me of your own ideas for this story or what you would like to happen because I might use it and of course I will properly acknowledge that it was your idea.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you so much for giving this story a chance! I hope this chapter makes it worth it for reading this

I would like to thank the following for reviewing:

 **mE** : Thanks for the info! I changed Chapter 1 to follow your suggestion. and thanks for reviewing !

 **mistmagic100** :Thank you for the compliment and for reviewing! Yes their relationship will be like Nunnally and canon! Lelouch but with a few differences. One of said differences will be seen here. (I think...)

 **Republic** : Thank you for reviewing! Yes, Kallen and Nunnally will be here but there might be some changes to their personalities as Lelouch is not there for the latter and Kallen will play a less major role here.

I would like to thank the following for the favorite:

 **CrysisWar1234,DksDarkstrider, Eiae, Henri0812, Rider831, RiverKallen, SunshineTakara, Thaiboy, ewardras111, konan248, mistmagic100, shazarakk, tiger2567tre**

I would like to thank the following for following:

 **CrysisWar1234, Eiae, Henri0812, Morgan Junior, OrchDork3879, Rider831, RiverKallen, Shiranai Atsune, SongsofSiren, Thaiboy, The-Macer-of-Dale,ewardras111, konan248, mistmagic100, shazarakk, tiger2567tre**

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Code Geass. If I did, Euphemia would have probably never existed. (Sorry Euphemia lovers, I don't like her very much but I admit it might be because Suzaku killed Lelouch because of her...)

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 **Chapter 1: So it begins…**

The sixteen-year-old Lelouch was in front of a chessboard with her sister (half-sister really, but who cares? Lelouch certainly didn't) on the opposite end. She smiled slightly at the intense concentrated look that the younger girl had on her face trying to decide her next move on the black and white board.

Princess Tianzi, after witnessing a game between her sister and the son of an ambassador from Britannia which ended in her sister's win judging from the smirk that elder sister Lelouch had after said game, jumped at the chance to spend more time with her sister and promptly asked the elder to teach her the rules of said game. Only she didn't count on it being this hard to play. She had heard rumors that her sister was already a pro at this game when she was her age, so if elder sister Lelouch could do it why couldn't she?

'Maybe I should move the pawn or maybe the queen? But if I did that sister might use her knight to check my king but… umm… ehh…Why is this so hard?' Tianzi didn't realize she was taking so long until she heard her sister cough a laugh.

"Ah! Sister, you're laughing at me! How mean! " the younger princess pouted in mock annoyance. The older girl merely pinched her cheek and smiled sweetly.

"But you're so cute, concentrating so hard! Don't worry; you'll be better at this game with practice. I remember having the same hard time when chess was first introduced to me." Lelouch mused, remembering how frustrated she was every time her mother said checkmate.

"By the way sister, who was that boy the other day? You two seem close…" Tianzi couldn't resist trying to tease her sister and was rewarded with a faint blush that appeared on her sister's face.

"Oh, that was Stadtfelt Naoto. Half-Britannian and half-Japanese if I remember correctly… He's the son of Lord Trevor Stadtfeld, the Britannian ambassador. He's also half decent in chess. Why? Are you curious about him? Does my sister have a crush?" Damn that backfired.

"Second Princess Jiang Lihua of the Chinese Federation, where did you learn that word?" Tianzi blinked, not realizing she had spoken her thoughts aloud.

"Um…Opps?" She smiled nervously, seeing as her sister had calmly spoken and used her full title meant the Crown Princess was enraged and that alone was trouble.

"Opps, indeed. So where?" Lelouch raised a delicate eyebrow, knowing her sister was stalling.

Tianzi opened her mouth to answer when a soldier came in looking very distraught. She inwardly sighed in relief as she was saved from answering when she heard the news that said soldier had to bring.

"Crown Princess Lelouch and Princess Lihua, I am sorry for disturbing you but the High Enchuns have requested your presence in the Throne Room immediately." The soldier saluted.

"Very well. Come, Tianzi let us make our way to the Throne Room. You are dismissed." Lelouch used her, as Tianzi called it, "Empress-mode" which made everyone listen to her and unknowingly agree to her demands.

As they were making their way to their destination, Tianzi hesitantly asked, "Sister, what do think has happened? Father and the Empress are still on a courtesy visit to Japan, right? " to which Lelouch responded by squeezing Tianzi's hand briefly before she nodded with a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, it'll be alright. I'll always be with you no matter what happens." She vowed before swinging the Throne Room doors open.

"You have finally arrived." The High Enchun Huang Qian sneered slightly.

Lelouch's left eye slightly twitches but she was otherwise emotionless. Lelouch had no love for the High Enchuns as she knew they were corrupt and merely had their own interests in mind. She would probably petition for them to be removed because she knew that sooner or later these people will lead the Chinese Federation to ruin.

"What news have you brought that you would seek an audience with us?" Lelouch was in her Empress-mode again that Tianzi relaxed slightly, knowing that her sister could handle the powerful men in front of them.

"Emperor Jian and Empress Mei have died in the sudden Britannian invasion of the United States of Japan. As such, you, the Crown Princess Lelouch will become the new Empress." Tong Lun revealed, not looking remotely sad at the news.

"I see and when will the coronation commence? " Lelouch looked calm but Tianzi could see elder sister Lelouch's amethyst orbs shone with unshed tears, knowing that her crimson orbs had the same expression.

"In a month's time, Crown Princess Lelouch. Princess Lihua, you are dismissed. Please escort the princess out of the room as we, the High Enchuns, and the next Empress will have discuss something delicate." Cai Lishi ordered. Tianzi was about to protest but saw her sister shake her head slightly. She unwillingly left the room but not before sending her sister a worried look.

A few seconds after the door closed behind them Lelouch speaks, "What is it that you want to discuss with me privately that you must ask Tianzi to leave?"

"Don't speak so rudely with us, girl! We are the High Enchuns and we demand that you give us some respect! " Cheng Zhong spoke angrily but Lelouch merely gave him a cold stare before looking expectantly at them.

"Why you-!" Cheng Zhong was interrupted from his tirade by another High Enchun

"Enough! We have more important things to discuss." Xia Wang shouted and Cheng Zhong sat down, grumbling angrily.

"Crown Princess Lelouch. We, the High Enchuns, have agreed to arrange a marriage for Princess Tianzi with the Crown Prince Odysseus of Britannia. If all parties will agree, their marriage will help in securing the future of our nation. You must convince the princess into seducing the prince in order for this plan to succeed. The Britannian Royal Family will probably be coming for your coronation, so that will be the time for the plan to commence. Okay, you are dismissed." Xia Wang had the gall to wave a dismissing hand at her, as if she was just a fly bothering him.

" **No.** " was the answer they heard.

"Excuse me, I must have heard you wrong. Did you just say No?!" Zhao Hao gritted his teeth, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yes I did. No, I will not be asking my sister to _**prostitute**_ herself for the sake of the Empire. As such, I will be frank with you _High Enchuns_ -" she spat out the word,"-I will never follow your requests as **I** am the Empress not you, not any of you. As a matter of fact when I am crowned Empress, rest assured I will be abolishing your seats for a more democratic one." She angrily stormed out, not listening to the outraged cries of the people behind as she retreated to her room where she was sure Tianzi was waiting for her in.

-Throne Room-

"It seems that the brat cannot be controlled. I told you it would have been easier if Princess Tianzi would ascend to the throne! She is very naïve and gullible unlike her older sister meaning she would be easier to manipulate as a mere figurehead!" Cheng Zhong spat out, the rest of the High Enchuns merely nodded their head in agreement.

"It seems we have no choice. Yao, we command you to kill the Empress Lelouch and dispose of her body. Make sure to leave evidence of the murder as well. Plan commences in 2 days. You are dismissed." Gao Hai orders an assassin that they hired in the possibility that the Crown Princess would rebel.

The assassin disappeared with a nod, leaving no evidence of him being there.

Meanwhile in Lelouch's room, the two sisters grieved in secrecy as they were not allowed to show weakness in this crucial time. Both mourning for the loss of their beloved father but merely saddened at the loss of the Empress.

Timeskip: A day later

-Lelouch's Room-

It was dark outside as it was already 11:55 pm and most people were asleep apart from the night cities and on her queen-sized bed Lelouch lay, looking rather peaceful. A shilouette of a man could be seen quickly making their way to the bed. A glint of a dagger flashed in the moonlight just as sleepy amethyst opened, half-lidded, a clock showing it was exactly 12:00 midnight.

The next day, the newspapers and other media in the Chinese Federation held the same headline;

" _ **Crown Princess Lelouch dead! Princess Jiang Lihua ascends to the throne in a week's time as the New Empress!"**_

With a picture of the new Crown Princess, eyes downcast.

-Forbidden City, Tianzi's room-

'Sister, you liar! You told me you'd never leave me! Now I'm all alone now…Sister…' Tianzi sat in her bed; huddle up near the headrest while cluching a beautiful necklace that was the last thing her sister gave her.

'Why did you all leave me behind?'

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A shadow is seen entering an apartment in the dead of night. After opening the door, eyes scanned the dusty room with a resolve to clean up. As the figure cleaned, a stray tear fell to the bed it was currently fixing.

'I'm sorry….Tianzi…'

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A/N: And that's a wrap! I hope you'll continue supporting this story as I had fun writing it out! See you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Finally got this up. Hope you'll like it!

Thanks for the Follow: **AkaneIchihara, Azarelrose, CGFanSuzaLulu, ChristaWatson, CrysisWar1234, Dagger of Darkness, DarkReaver724, Eiae, FoxTravel, Henri0812, KatzKuzeLevy, KokoroBelle, LiaLialulubella, Morgan Junior, OrchDork3879, Panzer4life, RPitU, Rider831, RiverKallen, Shiranai Atsune, SongsofSiren, Tama Saga, Thaiboy, ThaviduZeroX, The-Macer-of-Dale, Ulquiorra9900, Zero Gawain, cheekypig56, ewardras111, harlequin320, konan248, mistmagic100, raijinfairy, seba4444, shazarakk, tiger2567tre, winxfan808**

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Thanks for the Review:

 **mistmagic100** : Sorry, how dearest Lulu pulled it off will stay a secret for now but I was really tempted to post it (got it typed out already) but a _certain_ someone (You know who you are XDD) was against it...so yeah!  
 **Shiranai Atsune** : Thanks! Answering your question, yes she will be in Ashford but not in the way you may or may not be thinking of... Might be revealed in two to three chapter or so...

Disclaimer: 'Tis not mine. Why would I make _fanfiction_ of a work _I_ made, if I could have just made that the series in the first place? That and I would be eating a lot of chocolate right now if that was the case. Since it's not, my wallet is just filled with cobwebs as of the moment...

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 **Chapter 2: The Test and the Guest  
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\- Chinese Federation Academia -

Timeskip: a.t.b 2011 January

A girl walks confidently on the hallways of the prestigious Academia, making heads turn left and right. Indeed, she looked rather out of place with her amethyst eyes, so different from the different shades of brown that most of the people around her had.

Lelouch knew that besides being a sudden transfer student, no one would recognize her. Her father, so protective of both her and Lihua, forbade anyone from seeing their faces until she became an empress. Ergo, if she lays down low and don't make unnecessary attention for herself, she would be fine.

'Still -' Lelouch frowned, '-how dare those "high" cretins attempt to assassinate me? Anyhow, I managed to reestablish the Lamperouge name and thankfully managed to enroll into this school without any fuss '

She blatantly ignored the whispering around her; not knowing she had brought unnecessary attention to herself by being the first applicant to have the score of 99.9% during the test in which an applicant's brain is tested into all sorts of challenges.

 _Flashback_

 _"Good morning everyone! I am your guide for today, Ming! Now when I call your name please step into this door to get tested. If you have at the average of at least 79% then you are admitted into the school. But since the fifteen of you are sudden transferees, the school has decided to make it at least 85%! Good Luck! First, Beauvais Kara!" the teacher (?) in front of them cheerily announces, seemingly not hearing the protests of the 14 students._

 _Lelouch stayed at one corner of the spacious room, ignoring the other people's attempts to get her to join them in their conversations._

 _It was a bit later when Lelouch's fake name was called as she was the 11_ _th_ _in line._

 _"Lulu Lamperouge!" she stood up gracefully, held her head up high although she felt very nervous for this exam._

 _Inside was a small room with a helmet set on an expensive looking chair. She takes the helmet in her hands and sits down. It was then when a message appeared before her, probably projected from somewhere in the room and it read:_

 _Please put on the helmet to start your test._

 _She narrowed her eyes but having little to no choice, she puts on the gear and a voice suddenly speaks, " When did the Chinese Federation first formed?" and Lelouch answers easily, having read thousands of books and scrolls and taught by many tutors. She continues this trend until it was the last question._

 _"Final Question: Who was the first wife of the Emperor Jiang Jian? Note: It was not Lady Mei." Lelouch raised an eyebrow at the statement and had the feeling that most people had probably made the mistake countless of times that the school included the hint._

 _"It was Lady Alicia Asplund." After saying her answer, the screen in front of her dissolves in a flurry of colors and a message saying to take off the helmet appears. She breaths a relieved sigh taking off the helmet and is handed a printout from the nearby printer just outside the testing area._

 _Giving her unseen results to the examiner Lelouch leaves, not hearing the astonished gasp from said woman at seeing the impossible 99.9% score or the loud exclaims and amazement from the examinees that tested before her. All she cared was that she had passed and would be admitted in the prestigious academia. Although, she wanted to try the Military Test that was said to be given to the graduates of the military course but she opted not to since she had no plans in exposing her identity yet._

 _Flashback End_

 _'I wonder how hard it is…'_ Too caught up in her thoughts, Lelouch didn't notice that someone was in front of her until it was too late. And evident with the books that now surrounded them; the one in front of her also wasn't paying attention.

'Ouch, that hurt!' Lelouch bit back a curse as she felt the sting of the fall on her butt.

"I greatly apologize for bumping into you Miss. Allow me to help you up." Lelouch looked up to see a hand outstretched to help her stand up. Taking the hand, she stood up only to fall back down again.

'Damn, it seems that I sprained my ankle!' Lelouch winches from the pain when suddenly she is lifted into someone's arms. She looks up to see the one carrying her and is slightly surprised to see a handsome face.

'Uggh, What a cliché situation! What am I, some type of shojo manga protagonist that Lihua liked to read?' She complained to herself.

Not knowing she had said her thoughts aloud, she rapidly blinks when she hears a choked laugh. She look on, slightly blushing as the man's rather stern face smoothed out making the man seem years younger. "It has truly has been a while since I laughed like that. What is your name, Miss?" The smile on the man's face only made Lelouch's blush darken.

'Stop acting like a stupid school girl with a crush, Lelouch! ' she berated herself.

"Xingke! I told you we could carry some of the books!" Lelouch sees a man and woman running towards them. One of them, the man, was rather familiar…then it hit her.

"Naoto?!" She accidentally lets out, shock evident on her features. She blinked her eyes, wanting to see if this was just some cheap trick that fate pulled but it was reality and before her was a friend by the name of Naoto Stadtfeld.

"You're-! What are you doing here?" The half-Britannian, half-Japanese looks just as shock to see her there.

"You two know each other?" Zhou Xianglin asks looking at both her friend and the woman in Xingke's arms. Inwardly, jealousy clawed at her throat as she wanted to be the one in his arms.

"Uh, yeah. She's the…" Naoto was cut off by Lelouch who tried to get down from Xingke's hold.

"Could you _please_ let me down?" she reason but was immediately shot down.

"No" was the reply.

"But—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Uggh, Fine. Can you carry me to infirmary instead?" she rolled her eyes at hearing the laugh that the man before her let out. Naoto and Xianglin exchanged surprised looks behind the pair.

Xingke was rather amused with the woman in his hold. She was a walking contradiction. She held her head down but her stance made her presence intimidating. She spoke politely but her tone had a silver lining of condescending. She looks directly in his eyes, confident but the hand that was pulling at her hem of her blouse was saying that she was nervous.

He had seen a few plans that flashed in her eyes as she tried to get down from his grip and he instantly knew that this person was someone dangerous in the battlefield. Even so, he was intrigued and Xingke never found himself this drawn to someone before. He grew more curious especially when Naoto, one of his few high ranking friends, knew of this girl that he had never seen in the Academia until today.

"Xianglin, Naoto. Sorry about this. Can I ask you to return those books to the Library for me? " Xingke, before even hearing their reply, started moving towards the school clinic.

"Huh? Eh, ah-! Zingke, wait!" Naoto was a few seconds too late to stop the man.

"Mou, that Xingke! What's so special about that girl anyway? Just because she made you laugh like no one ever did… Sigh. Naoto, let's get these books to the Library quickly. I don't want to give them too much time alone together…" Xianglin gritted her teeth while Naoto merely gave her a sympathetic glance, knowing how enamored the Chinese woman was with Li Xingke.

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On the way to the Library, Naoto's thoughts turned to the cause of his friend's ire.

'Lelouch "Lulu" Lamperouge…What is the deceased Crown Princess' personal strategist doing outside of the Forbidden Palace?'

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A/N: About the OOC characters, you'll have to remember they're 16. Not 23 or 24 years old. They're still teenagers. Adult-like in both mannerisms and appearance yes, but teenager nonetheless.

Penny for your thoughts? How was it? Thanks for reading and hope you stay tuned!

Until Next time!


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry, vacation just officially ended so got late in posting! If you have read OFaD, then you already know that it might be quite a while before I can update after this! Please have patience with me!

 _Like OFaD, if anyone is willing to make a book cover for this story please do. I would really appreciate it! _

I would like to thank you for the favorite: **CGFanSuzaLulu, Charles-the-Hammer, ChristaWatson, CrysisWar1234, Dagger Of Darkness, DksDarkstrider, Eiae, FoxTravel, Hanbamjung-RHEN, Henri0812, Junsu Saito, KatzKuzeLevy, KokoroBelle, LiaLialulubella, Lixem, MightyBommb, Panzer4life, Rider831, RiverKallen, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, Shiranai Atsune, SunshineTakara, Thaiboy, ThaviduZeroX, Ulquiorra9900, Zero Gawain, allietheepic7, cheekypig56, ewardras111, eye of sparta, harlequin320, konan248, mistmagic100, raijinfairy, ranma-tomoe, seba4444, shazarakk, tiger2567tre**

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Thank you for reviewing and my answer is:

 **Azarelrose** : Thank you! Well this chapter is mostly centered around Naoto and Lelouch...  
 **mistmagic100** : I'm glad you liked it! Next chapter will probably feature Tianzi's side... Sorry about that...  
 **eye of sparta** : Thank you for the compliment! Here's an update!  
 **Shiranai Atsune** : Yes, love is indeed in the air, for the latter at least! The reason why Naoto is still not dead is partly because of Lelouch.  
 **raijinfairy** : Thank you. To be honest it was completely accidental... I only noticed when you pointed it out and when I reread what I did, it made me laugh too actually, haha!  
 **Republic** : Arigato! Here is the update!

Disclaimer: Really don't own. Wish I did though...

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Chapter 3

\- Clinic-

"Mr. Fon, may we come in?" Xingke called out and Lelouch opened the door, still in the Chinese man's arms.

"Oh, Li. What is it? Did you injure yourself again? "The man inside was still looking at some documents. Xingke cleared his throat to get his attention.

"No, but I accidentally helped this woman sprain her ankle. Can you help her? "The man looks up, looking rather surprised to see that Lelouch was there and gestures to the bed near him. It is there where Xingke lay Lelouch down, who breathes a relieved sigh.

"My, my…It's fine. She will need a few weeks for it to recover. I am guessing that you two collided when you were not paying attention to your surroundings? "The man, Fon, after making a few tests to see the damage, says to Xingke and somehow manages to hit the figurative nail on the head.

"Well—" Xingke was cut off by a bell that signaled the start of all classes. Xingke was hesitant to leave but the doctor promptly shooed him out, knowing that one absence in his course could perhaps fail him. It was only when Lelouch herself shooed him out with the threat to drag him to his classes herself that he left.

The two exchanged amused looks at the stern man's reluctance to leave.

A few minutes later, Lelouch face palms herself. She had forgotten due to misfortunes she suffered so early in the morning that she was still new in the Academia and that she had not excused herself for her absence in her classes.

She asks Fon if he could tell her teachers if she could be excused for a few weeks, reasoning that she still didn't know who her teachers were as this was her first day. Agreeing with the logic, the man leaves her but not before warning the girl not to move too much as it would cause unnecessary strain to her ankle. She decides to make herself comfortable and without a book to capture her attention, Lelouch Lamperouge slowly descends to the world of Morpheus.

Meanwhile…

Xingke, Xianglin and Naoto met up just a corner away from the infirmary. Xingke immediately takes them further away from the infirmary saying, "Fon said the girl will be alright but we have to get to class if not we may fail the whole course" which promptly made Xianglin walk faster and inwardly cheer as the Xingke was now far from the mystery woman's clutches.

As they were going futher and futher away from the place that held their intrigue, both Naoto and Xingke glanced back at the direction of the clinic at the same time. They exchanged weird looks between the two of them that made the only woman who was with them to urge them to go faster as they were about to be late.

Stopping, Naoto made a terrible excuse to go to the bathroom which went unnoticed as Xingke and Xianglin were too far to hear him. Both had assumed that Naoto was still behind them.

As they were nearing their classroom, it was then when Xingke remembers something.

'I never really did get that girl's name… '

"Naoto—" He looks back only to meet thin air.

"Hey, where is Naoto?" Xianglin asks, apparently also noticing that their friend was missing just now.

"Wasn't he just behind us? " Xingke asks his companion who shrugs in confusion.

"Maybe he had a different schedule today?" Xianglin suggests and Xingke nods, knowing that was the only possible scenario.

'I'll have to ask Naoto her name the next time I see him…"

Xingke never knew that he'd be sent to the Palace Barracks that day with Xianglin as the chosen students to be drafted early into the Military. He would never get to know the name of the mysterious girl until it was almost seven years later when he was known as the Prodigy of the Chinese Federation.

\- Hallways -

Naoto walked as fast as he could to the Infirmary without looking that worried. As he ran, memories began to form in his mind.

Naoto could still remember the first time they met rather vividly.

 _Flashback_

 _"Why don't you look around, son? You might find something interesting. Sir, how about we take this inside? " The ambassador, Trevor, pats his son's shoulder and goes inside with his companion leaving behind the fifteen-year old Naoto._

 _He explores the place until he accidentally goes into a room where a girl his age was sitting, in front of her a chessboard that he just recently was taught how to play._

 _"Do you need an opponent?" he asks and the girl who was curiously all alone, jumped in surprise._

 _"Who are you? What are you doing here? This is a restricted area that only allows certain individuals!" the girl hissed at him._

 _"Oh sorry, I didn't know. Wait… if this is a restricted area, what are YOU doing here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow._

 _"O-oh, that's because… Umm...I'm the crown princess' personal strategist!" the girl shouted at him. He saw the girl's eyes shone in brief panic._

 _"Oh, really? " He said in a challenging voice._

 _"Really." She snarled at his condescending tone._

 _"Then… Prove it." Naoto gesture to the beautiful chessboard that laid in front of them both._

 _"Of course." He should have known better, if the smirk she gave him was any indication, that he was about to be defeated soundly and thoroughly._

 _Flashback end_

'But many battles after that, we became tentative friends and every time I went to the Palace, she would be there waiting by the door always ready to accept my challenge again. That is until the death of the Emperor, Empress and the Crown Princess and the day that Japan was invaded by the Britannians. I was sent to the Academia for my safety and my sister was sent into hiding with our mother.'

He had tried to go back to the Palace to know if she was safe but no one was allowed to neither go in nor go out of the Palace walls. Naoto had actually planned to go to the Palace on the day its doors were to be opened again but was pleasantly surprised to see her in the Academia, only find that she was in Xingke's arms, literally.

He had actually developed a small crush on her when she first gave him her sweet smile that made the girl look ethereal. Slowly, he began to fall deeper as she showed him her true self. She was a woman both intelligent and beautiful, someone that was not afraid to say her real thoughts. A girl that was hard and tough on the outside but kind and soft to those she held dear.

Opening the Clinic doors, Naoto had fallen in love with the strategist that was sleeping peacefully on the Infirmary bed long before he even knew it himself. And even though Xingke had managed to make the first move, Naoto would fight tooth and nail before he would hand her over to anybody else.

.

.

.

.

After all, Kouzuki's have been always known to fight for the one they love and held most dear and what was Naoto, if not the heir to the Kouzuki lineage?

* * *

A/N: Ugh, I still feel like something is missing.

For those who read TRotE and OFaD, once again I ask for your patience because my updates will be very slow since vacation is over... Please don't give up on my stories!

Thoughts? Complaints? Suggestions are very much welcome!

Until Next Time!


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm back with an update! Sorry for the long wait(?)~~ I actually injured my fingers in a mishap on my part and I had a hard time typing out the chapters. That and RL is a real pain in the butt. Anyways~

I would like to thank you for the favorite: **CrysisWar1234, Rider831, SunshineTakara, Thaiboy, konan248, mistmagic100, shazarakk, Eiae, Henri0812, RiverKallen, ewardras111, tiger2567tre, KokoroBelle, LiaLialulubella, Panzer4life, ThaviduZeroX, Zero Gawain, ChristaWatson, FoxTravel, Lixem, cheekypig56, raijinfairy, Ulquiorra9900, harlequin320, Junsu Saito, seba4444, CGFanSuzaLulu, KatzKuzeLevy, Dagger Of Darkness, allietheepic7, eye of sparta, Charles-the-Hammer, Shiranai Atsune, MightyBommb, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, Hanbamjung-RHEN, RavagerSunset, odjn, ranma-tomoe, takatakatalana, thomasciesielski54, MitsuKatana, Pelcott, dislami-chan, ElementMoon, kokoromelissa, ChiChiChiba, ChichirouYamada, Chikage-Kun, WorkingGeass**

Thank you for the following: **CrysisWar1234, OrchDork3879, Rider831, SongsofSiren, Thaiboy, konan248, mistmagic100, shazarakk, Eiae, Henri0812, Morgan Junior, RiverKallen, Shiranai Atsune, The-Macer-of-Dale, ewardras111, tiger2567tre, KokoroBelle, LiaLialulubella, Panzer4life, Tama Saga, ThaviduZeroX, Zero Gawain, Azarelrose, ChristaWatson, FoxTravel, cheekypig56, raijinfairy, seba4444, Ulquiorra9900, harlequin320, AkaneIchihara, DarkReaver724, CGFanSuzaLulu, KatzKuzeLevy, RPitU, winxfan808, Dagger Of Darkness, allietheepic7, eye of sparta, SpiritOfTales, Hanbamjung-RHEN, Mai96, RavagerSunset, ranma-tomoe, takatakatalana, thomasciesielski54, MitsuKatana, Pelcott, Roatze, urapooper, Asfee, Lin Neilson, 16code, ElementMoon, kokoromelissa, ChiChiChiba, ChichirouYamada, Chikage-Kun, WorkingGeass, spartaner055, Findarato**

And this is my reply to the reviews:

 **harlequin320** : Thank you for the compliment, hope you like this update~  
 **mistmagic100** : Yes, I have a slight thing for jealousy and romance... Thank you for the support and yes you did post two reviews last chapter ;)  
 **eye of sparta** : Thank you for the compliment on both my writing and my story~ I'll try my best but I always make sure I get at least a 1,000 word count for each chapter. I will probably introduce Kallen in 2-3 chapters...  
 **Shiranai Atsune** : I'm glad I've converted someone to the dark side XDD Good luck in choosing your OTPs =D

 **Disclaimer** : Not mine obviously~

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Tianzi's Plight**

Feeling eyes on her, Lelouch stirred from her peaceful slumber and opened drowsy amethyst eyes to see who it was. She smiled when she saw Naoto, a dear friend of hers. She sat up and wordlessly gestures to the chair beside her.

When both were comfortable enough, both teens made a move to speak.

"About the—" Lelouch and Naoto said in perfect unison.

"Ah, you can go first Lulu." Naoto offers. But Lelouch shakes her head.

"No, you can go first." This time it was Naoto who shakes his head.

"You go first."

"No you first."

"You first."

"No, you."

"Ladies first."

"So I'm a lady now? I distinctly remember saying the exact same thing when we were younger and you said, and I quote, "There's a lady here? I don't remember seeing one…" " Lelouch raises a delicate eyebrow. Naoto slightly winces at the particular memory. It was not the best way to earn someone's affections... sighing, he says:

"Lelouch…" Naoto glares at the woman before him but the fondness in his eyes made it look soft.

"Naoto…" She says playfully, smile in place.

Not five seconds later, both dissolve into a flurry of laughter. Both struggled to regain their composure after a while. It was Naoto who makes the first move.

"So, how are you?" he asks lightly, but the concern in his eyes were visible. Lelouch hides a smile behind her hand and says "I'm fine. You?"

"Fine." The room is suddenly engulfed by silence. A heartbeat later, Naoto resolves to ease the tension.

" Lelouch, what are you doing here? What is the late Crown Princess' personal strategist doing here?" he asked, looking squarely into her amethyst orbs.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" she smiled almost mysteriously, as if knowing a joke nobody else could understand.

"Why are you not at the Palace? You've never been out of the Palace before." His eyes narrowed, seeing as the girl in front of him was avoiding his questions. Lelouch's smile turns into a questioning one.

"And how would you know that I've never been outside the Palace before?"

"Because…" he trailed off. His answer had been 'Because someone as pretty as you would have been noticed immediately even without knowing your identity.' but he couldn't very well say that.

"Because?" she prompts, still looking at him. His heart starts to beat widely at having all of Lelouch's attention on him. He struggles to find an alternative answer and comes up with none.

"Because." He decides and Lelouch's mouth forms a smirk and she looks away from him saying, "Ah. _Because_ … Well it has certainly been nice catching up with you but don't you have classes? "He bolts up as he just realizes this.

"Oh no… Sorry Lulu I really got to go. Will you be alright? Do you want me to stop by to pick you after class? "He was almost out of the door by the time he hears her answer.

"Oh, no need. By the way, the reason why I'm here is because of the late Crown Princess. Nothing more, nothing less."

'It can't be that…' His eyes widen at the implication of his statement as he was dashing through the hallways towards his class.

Lelouch shakes her head fondly, before she looks outside through window in the room. She could see the Forbidden Palace from here. A bit blurry, though.

'Tianzi…'

\- Forbidden Palace-

"Empress, we have come to seek an audience with you!"It was a poor farmer and Tianzi looks down from her throne with concern in her eyes.

"W-what might be the problem?" she inwardly hit herself for stuttering. Big sister Lelouch would have looked the man in the eye… Big sister Lelouch would have used her Empress-mode… Big sister Lelouch would have…

'But she's not here isn't she? She's no longer here…She left you' a traitorous part of her mind murmurs and Tianzi mentally told it to shut up.

"Empress, a flood has happened in our village and we wanted to request aid from the government…. We…" The man was cut off by the High Enchun Xia Wang who scoffs, as if thinking the man stupid.

"Send Aid? No, we are too busy right now and we have more uses for the money rather than helping a pathetic village who can't even survive against some water. Guards take him away."

"What right do you have to make decisions for the Empress? You're just her adviser!" The man struggles against the guards.

"Exactly and we are the ones who know what's best for this country. Our decision is also the Empress' decision. Isn't that right, Empress Tianzi?" High Enchun Cheng Zhong gestures to the girl on the throne but Tiazi made no move to answer, her head bowed down in shame.

"So you're just a puppet! You would dance to their tune and let the whole country suffer! You're truly are the Puppet Princess! "The man's final words echoed throughout the castle before it disappeared but it rang over and over in Tianzi's young mind.

'Puppet Princess… Big Sister, what am I supposed to do? The man was right; I am a Puppet Princess, dancing to the High Enchuns' tune… I can't rule, Sister! I don't know how to! I was always rest assured that you would take the throne… I can't fight against them…Sister…'

"Please come back…" Tianzi wipes a tear that escapes, not wanting to let the High Enchuns see her cry.

Someone does however and secretly hands her a note later that evening. Tianzi feels her heart tearing as she read it.

"Stay Strong. The Princess would have wanted you to be strong" was all it wrote but the words made Tianzi's heart plummet.

"Yes, I will stay strong for both my sister and my country… Sister Lelouch will surely return and I cannot disappoint her with a throne in ruins, I have to help pave a clear path for her… After all, this is Big sister Lelouch we're talking about,right? Right? " It was then when tears started to fall from her eyes and she sobbed into her pillow. Jiang Lihua had finally allowed herself to grieve for her loss.

She knew that the chances of Lelouch being alive were nearly nil as Leouch would have told if that was the case but she didn't. Lihua had finally started on the path towards healing and acceptance that her sister would no longer come back. She would no longer stay depressed as sister Lelouch would have not wanted that. No, she would have told Lihua to grieve but move on and move on, she would.

"I will lead this country to prosperity, even if it's the last thing I do. Big sister Lelouch would have done the exact same thing if she was on the throne."

Outside, a figure frowns at the determined picture the Empress made. It looks toward the now gray sky and whispers to itself, "Princess, I warned you about this but you didn't listen..."

\- Timeskip: 3 years later -

"Ne, Naoto… Want to come with me?" Lelouch asks to the handsome male beside her. She adjusts the black hat on her head and smoothens out her black robes. She had just graduated from the Academia and was driving towards her apartment with her best friend.

Now that she thought about it, she never met that man who carried her to the clinic again, did she? Oh, well…

Naoto glances surprised at the stunning female beside him that managed to get top marks just below the Military course but Naoto knew that if Lelouch had put her mind to it she could have beaten his own class too.

"You know I can't, Lelouch. I have to come back to Japan and find my mother and Kallen. "His answers made Lelouch arch an eyebrow. They were soon nearing Lelouch's home.

"We're here, Lulu. See you soon!"He said a bit sad as they parted ways that may never meet again. He was about to enter a war where he might never come back alive. He resisted the urge to kiss his first love because he knew Lelouch deserved better than a man who was going to Death's door willingly.

"Naoto, good luck in your rebellion…." Lelouch whispers as soon as Naoto was out of earshot. Her friend tried to hide it from her but he should have known better than to keep a secret from _Lelouch_.

.

.

.

.

.

She looks out at beautiful, clear sky above her and smiles mysteriously.

"Let's go to Britannia, shall we?"

* * *

A/N: Once again, I am sorry for the late updates but I will warn you once again that my release of new chapters will be slower now since vacation is over. I hope you'll still continue on supporting me and my fanfics even with the slow updates.

Until Next Time~


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: _ **Edit: Some text had been missing and I decided to edit it.**_

I am sosososo SORRY! Life has been pretty hectic and I apologize for the long wait (if you were waiting...) I warn you that the chapter is the prologue of a new arc...

Anyways, I'd like to thank the following for the:

Favorite: **CGFanSuzaLulu, Charles-the-Hammer, ChiChiChiba, ChichirouYamada, Chikage-Kun, ChristaWatson, CrysisWar1234, Dagger Of Darkness, Eiae, ElementMoon, FoxTravel, Hanbamjung-RHEN, Henri0812, HimeTsubasaCh, Himetsu, Junsu Saito, KSolaney, KatzKuzeLevy, KokoroBelle, LiaLialulubella, Lixem, MightyBommb, MitsuKatana, MontySolane, Mr. Indigo, Panzer4life, Pelcott, Qixity, RavagerSunset, Rider831, RiverKallen, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, Shiranai Atsune, SunshineTakara, Thaiboy, ThaviduZeroX, Ulquiorra9900, WorkingGeass, Zero Gawain, allietheepic7, cheekypig56, dislami-chan, ewardras111, eye of sparta, harlequin320, kokoromelissa, konan248, maricarolabe, mistmagic100, natsu77, odjn, pokermaniac039, raijinfairy, ranma-tomoe, seba4444, shazarakk, takatakatalana, thomasciesielski54, tiger2567tre**

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For the Reviews:

 **Shiranai Atsune** : Lol, I originally made this fanfic to soothe my Xingke X Lulu feels but why does it feel like I made Naoto x Lulu feels instead? XDD  
The Anime, not yet... but the chapter opens a (sort of) new arc for the story.  
 **eye of sparta** : Thank you for the compliment and for the comfort. Yes, I left out many things previously but I'm afraid I can't divulge much. All I can say is "All in good time, my friend".

Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm sure.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: The Way Out of The Woods**

Lelouch carefully signs the document before sighing deeply. Tomorrow she would be away from here, from everything she had ever known. Shaking her head, she leaves the document on the table and lays down to sleep. Under the moonlight, the name in which Lelouch signed under curiously wasn't Lamperouge…

-Line Break-

A girl with pretty dark brown eyes stares out from the carriage window, looking at the passing spectacular garden. The coachman opens the door and 3 girls went out of it, looking in awe at the beautiful mansion before them. A butler ushers them inside and they looked to see a stylish woman who looked at them with a critical eye. She nods to herself and opens her mouth to address them.

"I am Lady Amy Weinberg and I am the mistress of this house. You have been chosen from thousands of applicants and I expect you live up to my expectations. You, on the left will be stationed to tend the gardens. The one on the right, in the kitchen and you in the middle will be our personal maid. That's all, Mary! Show them to their rooms!" she sneers at them and turns to a stern-looking woman who beckons them to follow her.

Upon arriving in front of her room, the girl traces her name that was plated in gold.

" _Saotome Leonelle_ "

Carefully opening the door, she lets out a beautiful smile at seeing how pretty the room was. Setting down her stuff, the woman looks out from the window and mentally catalogues that her room was just a few feet away from the garden backdoor.

Nodding absent-mindedly to herself the young maid made her way to the bathroom after taking small black pouch from her luggage. She stops in front of a mirror and puts down the pouch on the sink. She makes a move to touch her eye using both hands.

Taking two brown contact lenses off the young maid's eyes revealed beautiful amethyst orbs.

"Gods, if I had known how irritating these would be, I would have made myself half Britannian to spare myself the trouble… But no wait... _He_ had this brilliant idea to make me a Japanese woman named Saotome Lelonelle for my sake. How am I supposed to survive running around every day, catering to their needs when my own stamina is already abysmal?" she sighed and looked at the mirror again. Lelouch Jiang could be seen in its reflection.

'How did I end up like this in the first place?'

Flashback

Making up her mind just a few days prior, Lelouch decides to go to the Academia's rich library. She remembered finding a book about how to get out of China in a _slightly_ illegal way as you were not allowed out of the country unless you have a valid reason to do so. That and if you have the right papers on hand. Meaning: mountains of paperwork.

It was actually well-known that ever since Alicia, her mother's death in the hands of the terrorists, her father made going in and out of China near impossible. (He tried to use this method in order to find who killed his wife but sadly, said terrorists seemed to have vanished in thin air…)

She had just finished skimming 10 books and as she was going through the 11th one, a voice suddenly breaks the comfortable silence.

"Ms. Lamperouge, what brings you back to the Academia? If memory serves me right, you already graduated… And it's not even a mere month since the graduation ceremony was held…" Xiao Fong looks fondly at one of the very few students that he was friends with.

"Mr. Fon, don't scare me like that! I think you halved my lifespan with that surprise attack. I was actually looking for a book." She saw the teacher looking at the spines of the stacked books that she had created herself.

"Could it be that you are looking for the book that gave you instructions on how to get out China in an illegal way? The titles of the books you were viewing were all about life outside the country…" Lelouch sighs and smiles wirily.

"I can never hide things from you, can I, Mr. Fon?"

"Indeed, but you are out of luck Ms. Lamperouge. That option has long since been discovered by the government and the passage has been zealously guarded." The man informs her and Lelouch suddenly feels the strangest urge to bang her head on the table in frustration.

As if sensing her thoughts, Mr. Fon pats her head in a comforting manner. "Now, now calm down. Mr. Stadfelt would be angry with me if I don't stop you from hurting that pretty little head of yours…" Lelouch blushes slightly at the compliment. Sure, other people have complimented her but having the man you see as a parental figure do it was a different matter and that made her blush.

"And besides I have another way of getting out of China." This statement causes Lelouch's mind to jumpstart. She takes out a dagger from her right boot and points in on the man in front of her.

"Who are you and what have you done with Mr. Fon?! The man I know would never give out his trade secrets even when he had assassins on his trail." The imposter raises his hand in a universal sign of surrender.

"I can explain but perhaps we should take this discussion elsewhere?" Thinking it over, Lelouch grudgingly nods with eyes full of suspicion. Fon raises an eyebrow at how fast Lelouch's mind was going through all the possible scenarios.

'Just like chess...' he muses to himself amused. Somehow they ended up going to the School Clinic and Lelouch stares at the man expectant, dagger still aimed at the man.

"How can I prove to you that I am Xiao Fon, Ms. Lamperouge?" The man irritatingly calm despite having a dagger in front of him. But when the previously defensive girl lowers her dagger without explanation, Lelouch sees the man she knew to be constantly calm show an expression of complete surprise.

"Don't bother. Tell me, Mr. Fon, why you suddenly decided to divulge your trade secrets you always keep hidden when you never even told Naoto anything even when you known him longer? Why are you helping me now?" Lelouch hides the dagger once more and tucks a stray hair behind her ear.

"I am an excellent secret keeper, Ms Lamperouge, but before that I am a man who lives to serve his beloved country." His explanation was clear but his words were cryptic.

"What are you talking about?" Lelouch takes a step back in confusion.

"I am part of the Chinese Federation and as such, I am obliged to help my own Empress especially when she's looking for a way out of the country she was supposed to rule." Fon explains, eyes gentle.

"You knew?" Lelouch realized that the she had just been found out and her secret had come to light.

"I am one of China's best physicians but I am also the Palace's best detective. Crown Princess Lihua has ordered an extensive investigation regarding the death of the Empress Lelouch. Imagine my surprise, your highness, when the computer informed me that someone had a 99% facial match with the supposedly deceased empress studying inside the very Academia."

"…" Lelouch said nothing, face emotionless. Fon sighes tiredly, knowing he made things awkward between them.

"Besides, you just confirmed my suspicious right now .I didn't think you actually were the Empress…" he chuckles slightly at seeing the irritated disbelief look that Lelouch sent to his general direction.

"Fine you found me out. What are you going to do next? Perhaps send me back to the Palace? Then I warn you right now, I will fight back. I will fight back and I have no qualms about using underhanded tricks if needed to be."

.

.

.

.

.

.

"I am loyal to you and the Royal Family only, no one else. I would never expose your secret should you not want me to. " Fon kneels one leg on the ground and a hand reaches to take Lelouch's hand into his own. He kisses the back of her palm for a brief second before looking directly into Lelouch's eyes.

"For you are my Empress, after all…"

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed the chapter... R'n'R, if you can~~

Until Next Time!


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N** : I live! I'm sosososo sorry for the late update. RL is b***h as usual and other fandoms kept distracting me from writing. I was so distracted with my school works that I actually got a virus on my laptop (due to so many classmates using my laptop to type files) . Luckily I manage to salvage my documents but it took 3 months after my update of OFaD that I got it back then the D. gray Man Hallow Series, anime adaptation of Drifters, start of Yuri on Ice and the 3rd season of Haikyuu! happened and I only managed to sit down and type this chapter for the past two days.

Anyways, I would like to THANK YOU for the:

 **Faves : allietheepic7, CGFanSuzaLulu, Charles-the-Hammer, cheekypig56, ChiChiChiba, ChichirouYamada, Chikage-Kun, ChristaWatson, CrysisWar1234, CyrusDiamon, digreg, dislami-chan, Eiae, ElementMoon, ewardras111, eye of sparta, FoxTravel, god of all, Hanbamjung-RHEN, harlequin320, Henri0812, Himetsu, HimeTsubasaCh, , inoayase, Inori Ayase, Junsu Saito, KatzKuzeLevy, KennKazuki, KKazu, KokoroBelle, kokoromelissa, konan248, KSolaney, LiaLialulubella, Lixem, MakiMakiline, maricarolabe, MightyBommb, mistmagic100, MitsuKatana, MontySolane, Mr. Indigo, naruxhina92, natsu77, odjn, Ozpin98, Panzer4life, Pelcott, pokermaniac039, Qixity, raijinfairy, ranma-tomoe, RavagerSunset, Republic Che, Rider831, RiverKallen, RockStar-DJ-Girl, seba4444, SenaS, shazarakk, Shiranai Atsune, SunshineTakara, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, Syafiq, takatakatalana, Thaiboy, ThaviduZeroX, thomasciesielski54, tiger2567tre, UsamiHaruka, WorkingGeass, Zero Gawain**

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 ** _Reviews_ :**

 **Republic Che** : Thank you for the compliment! Here is your long awaited update!  
 **god of all** : Thank you for the praise, here is the continuation.  
 **SpiritOfTales** : Thank you for the input. I know, it's a bad habit of mine. I usually reread my stories to proofread them but as the writer, I tend to miss some of my mistakes. I'm truly sorry it feels kinda rushed. I wrote Chapter 5 just before the start of my school year so I tried to get it posted before school started. I tried my best to describe more things this chapter but I'm not really used to describing things. I tend to focus more on their conversations and interactions rather than their surroundings. I have to admit I have a bit difficulty in revealing Lelouch's insights but I'll do my best to improve. Thanks for your suggestions!  
P.S. : Your English is fine. In fact, I saw little to no grammatical errors in your review. (My opinion if you want to know. =D )  
 **Empress Lulu** : Lol don't die on me! I'm not sure actually what I will make of Naoto and Lulu's relationship (Making things up as I go) but it will be a bit similar Kallen and Lelouch's interactions if that's what you're asking. There will be some Geass but it will not be the main focus of the series. ( )  
 **eye of sparta** : Haha, Thank you for waiting! Here is your update.  
 **Shiranai Atsune** : Really? I never really thought of it that way. Haha, please read this chapter and see if your assumptions are correct.. XDD Thanks for the compliment!

 **Disclaimer** : Code Geass is not mine. Sadly.

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Weinberg Heir and the Red haired Knight  
**

\- Japan: Area 11-

Kallen Stadtfeld glares at the woman who was her stepmother, clutching her face that stung from the force of impact. She had not only tried to make her mother feel inferior but she had the gall to hurt her too. Kallen had managed to arrive before the Lady Stadtfeld could do more than shove but when she saw the hand that was poised to slap Kozuki Kurumi, Kallen intercepted and that was the scene that Naoto saw when he came back from the the meeting with Ohgi.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Naoto growls and puts some distance between the three females. He stares down at the wife of his father. He had been angry and disappointed when he learned that his father had taken a wife during the months that he had been away. His mother was made into a mistress and both he and his sister into bastard children. But Trevor's wife could not bear any children and soon he was named the Heir to the Stadtfeld Family and his sister the next in line. He had been happy by this development since it would help his financially-struggling mother and his sister would be accepted in the Ashford Academy due to her status evaluation but if it would result in his family hurt then he would cut ties from his father if he had to.

"N-Naoto! I was just…" The woman tried to explain herself but Naoto knew better than to believe what came from her mouth. "Lady Stadtfeld, if you ever lay a hand on them again, I swear I will no longer take the Stadtfeld mantle." He threatens and the woman bristles but back down and leaves the three alone. "Sigh. Kallen, Okaa-san are you both alright?" He asks, greatly concerned. When his mother smiles, he feels slightly relieved.

"Nii-san, I'm fine but if that, that woman dares to hurt mother again, I won't be liable for my actions anymore!" Kallen angrily says but soon calms down when Naoto puts a comforting hand on her head. Naoto smiles, messing up Kallen's hair and says "I'm glad Okaa-san has such a reliable knight in shining armour by her side."

"Onii-san, don't mess up my hair!" she complains but inwardly feels happy from her brother's great trust in her. She vowed never to break that trust and protect their mother to the best of her abilities. A laugh comes from someone behind them and both Kozuki siblings see their mother laugh at their antics. Pulling both her beloved children into her arms.

"Thank you, both of you. I'm so fortunate to have such caring and loving children as you." Kurumi smiles as Kallen and Naoto both relish their mother's loving embrace.

\- Britannia-

Leonelle is ushered into the dining room the next without further ado by the stern head maid from yesterday named Mary. As she stood in front of great brown doors that hid her from the room, she takes a deep breath and steels herself for the meeting with her mistress' family. After fixing minor details on her maid outfit and straightening out her headdress, she takes a tray left on a nearby table and uses her left hand in opening the door. She is greeted by the sight of two figures discussing what seemed to be family matters. On the head of the table was the patriarch of the Weinberg family, William Weinberg.

The man was obviously stern, judging by the aura he emitted and the frown on his face when he first saw her enter but he obviously had a soft spot for his family as when his wife took his attention, the small frown became a loving smile. On his right was Amy who was smiling and eagerly discussing, not even taking note of her arrival. "Leonelle" carefully puts down their dishes, making sure to keep her head down and makes a move to put down what curiously was a third dish (she took a second to question why as there were only two people in the room) when the brown doors that she had entered previously suddenly banged open. All the occupants of the room turned their heads to the source of the noise.

A young man enters. He looked to be about 13-14 years old if Lelouch had to guess his age and he had the brightest blue eyes that Lelouch had ever seen. "This boy will be a source of heartbreak for young girls when he becomes older." Lelouch inwardly comments. The boy smiles brightly and greets William and Alicia, addressing them both as father and mother respectively.

"This is the next head of the Weinberg family?" Lelouch muses and proceeds to place the young man's meal before him. When Gino, Lelouch assumes is the boy's name as Amy used this to address to the young man, gave her a thank you, Lelouch was slightly taken aback, as servants were said to be greatly inferior in Brittania, but she quickly recovered and smiled, happy that not all nobles in Brittania were stuck-up after all. Whispering quietly, "You're welcome, Young Master.", she noted that both William and Amelia did not comment on the bold action of the young man so she assumed that this was a normal occurrence in the household.

Seeing as her work was done, Lelouch bowed easily to the three and leaves the room. She is instantly greeted by Mary and is told to return to her quarters until further notice. Lelouch decides to use this time to plan her next course of action. Few minutes after Lelouch left, Gino Weinberg turns to his mother and asks, "Who is the new maid, mother?" He was curious as the new maid actually managed to speak freely to him when all previous maids were either so surprised that they broke something or just ignored the greeting. Plus he had to admit that the maid had a nice smile, it felt like something an older sister would bestow on a favored younger sibling.

"She is an Eleven maid, my son. Her name is Leonelle, I believe. "Amy answers, proud knowing that her son was kind to everyone even to those who are undeserving of it. Gino nods his head and finishes his breakfast. He resolves to become friends with maid called Leonelle and bids his parents goodbye. Deciding against calling her just to chat, he planned to "accidentally" stumble upon the maid and talk to her.

-Line Break-

Lelouch was cleaning the enormous chandelier in the ballroom with great difficulty. She was unused to using a ladder and felt it slightly shaking with her movements. When she tried to reach a spot that was a bit far off to her left, the ladder swayed to left, Lelouch thinking that she might fall down with the ladder.

"Watch out!" someone cries out and the ladder is put back into its original position. She looks back to see who saved her and is pleasantly surprised to see the Young Master Gino holding the ladder down. "Keep cleaning and don't worry about the ladder. I'll hold it down for you so you won't fall." Lelouch nods and continues cleaning the chandelier. When finished she moves down slowly and turns to face her savior.

"Thank you, Young Master, for saving me." She curtsies and flashes a thankful smile. Gino smiles back and says" No problem! I am just glad that I was there in time to help you. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself during breakfast. I am Gino Weinberg, the heir of the family. May I know your name?"

"I am Leonelle, Young master." She replies and sees Gino smile falter slightly. "You can call me Gino in private, calling me Young Master seems handful. " Gino easily states and Lelouch decides to acquit with his wish and amends her statement, "Very well, Gino." At this Gino's smile comes back full force.

"Well, Leonelle, may I have the pleasure of having your company for my walk in the gardens today?" Gino smiles shyly, holding out a hand to the maid. "I couldn't possibly accept as I am merely a maid and you are the Young Master. I'm afraid I have to say no." Lelouch declines but Gino wouldn't have it. He was determined to have Leonelle as a friend.

"Wow, this is the first time I've been rejected by a girl. My reputation has been ruined." Gino cries out and even Lelouch couldn't stop the giggles she tried to hold back. Gino smiles and gives a wink to the maid. Lelouch shakes her head and says, "Fine, you've convinced me. I'll walk with you in the gardens if only to mend your reputation." She says in mock seriousness. Gino laughs and feels he and Leonelle would get along with each other rather splendidly.

If anyone were to see the pair in the gardens that day, they would have commented on the weird scene of a 13 year old boy who seemed to be trying to flirt a 20 year old maid that was clearly laughing at the attempt. But if you were to hear their conversation you would find that the boy was actually telling funny stories about his classmates and copying how they tried to woo their crushes at the academy and maid was actually laughing at the stories.

When it was time for lunch, Leonelle excused herself to make lunch. Gino made her promise to meet up again the next day and she agreed with slight hesitation. Although she was scolded lightly for disappearing without a word, Lelouch felt it was worth it as she found a friend in the form of Gino Weinberg.

The next few days became a routine for the Empress. Her schedule soon became like this:

7:00 -Wake up and change into maid outfit. ("Why must I wear such a revealing piece of cloth? No matter." Lelouch sighs.)

7:45 -Serve breakfast. ("Thanks, Leo." Gino whispers and Lelouch offers a small smile in return.)

8:00 –Free time ("This includes breakfast… How fast do I need to eat at this rate?" Lelouch inwardly complains.)

8:30 –Chores ("I can do this." Lelouch panted as she puts down the third basket of laundry that she was tasked to carry.)

9:00 –Meet up with Gino in garden / chores ("Leo! Over here!" Gino waves her over; Lelouch merely shakes her head in amusement and moves toward the heir.)

11:45 –Serve lunch ("I had fun today." She whispers to the crestfallen boy as she puts down Gino's food. The young man had been sad since he was scolded by his mother for breaking her precious vase. The beaming smile she saw that appears on the boy's face made her remember Lihua for a moment.)

12:00 –Free time ("God, this includes lunch? The Weinbergs are slave drivers." Lelouch hears Helen, one of the maids that was with her complain and was promptly scolded by Mary.)

12:30 –Chores ("My stamina is abysmal as ever." Lelouch comments as she washes the dishes.)

3:30 –Break ("Finally!" Lelouch inwardly cheers at seeing it was almost time for her break.)

4:00 –Chores ("It's official. I will die due to chores. Imagine how Naoto and Lihua would react at seeing in my tombstone "Lelouch Jiang, die due to excessive Labor". Ah, that would be a sight to see."Lelouch laughs at her own joke while sweeping the mansion's enormous garden. )

6:45 –Serve dinner ("Oh, it's my turn to serve them. Thanks for the help, Leonelle!" Mary takes the tray from her hands and opens the door. She sees just in time to see Gino's face fall at seeing the head maid.)

7:00 –Time off (Lelouch eats her dinner while writing her plans. She should be able to execute it in a few months if all goes well.)

9:00 –Lights off ("I wonder how Lihua is right now. I hope those rumors of The Puppet Princess aren't true…" Lelouch worries, tossing and turning in her bed before eventually falling into restless sleep.)

With Gino and Lelouch meeting up at least three times a week, the two became good friends. Soon the two were exchanging stories, with Lelouch modifying hers slightly to hide her past. All was well. Until one night, Lelouch receives a message from Fon. She mules over the letter the whole night and decides to agree with its content.

.

.

.

.

"Looks like a family reunion will be occurring… Asplund family, huh? I wonder…" Lelouch muses fixing her shawl as she silently exits the Weinberg Mansion. Looking at the beautiful night sky that was laden with stars; she smiles and gets on a coach that was waiting for her just a few paces away from the entrance.

"It has been a while since we last saw each other, Grandfather."

* * *

 **A/N** : Thank you for reading until the end of Chapter 6 and hope to see you in the next chapter! Next update is unclear as usual due my unpredictable schedule T-T. Please Review if you can!

Until Next Time~


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